Leuchanka and Belarus Qualify for Rio Olympics

June 20, 2016

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Former West Virginia University basketball player Yelena Leuchanka tallied eight points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Belarus’ 56-39 win over Korea on Sunday, at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) in Nantes, France, to punch the final ticket to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.

Belarus advanced to the quarterfinal rounds after splitting their group with a win over Nigeria and a 66-65 loss to Korea. Belarus fell to China, 84-70, in the quarterfinal round before bouncing back with an 84-44 win over Argentina in the fifth place classification game. The team punched its ticket to the Rio Olympics with a commanding win over Korea on Sunday.

Leuchanka finished second on the team with 12.6 points per game and was the team’s top rebounder with 10.8 rebounds per contest. The 2006 WVU alum shot 57.4 percent from the field and dished out three assists in five games played.

Former Mountaineer Olayinka Sanni’s Nigeria team failed to reach the quarterfinal round of the WOQT, eliminating it from Olympics contention. Another former WVU alum, Natalie Burton, is presently on the Australian Opals roster. The final 12-player roster for the Opals has not been announced for the Rio Olympics.

Group stages of the Rio Olympics will start on August 6, while the medal games will conclude on August 21.